A quick rant

Why do liberal priests or liturgy planners insist on calling vestments "robes?" I cannot stand this. It seems just another instance of taking away all the meaningful names of liturgical things and replacing them with blase (no accent, sorry) terms. Deconstruction in the liturgy happens even on the level of terms. I guess I just go to "worship service" as much as I can, to dialogue with "World Spirit" and my neighbor.

-Amator

The Death of Reason

Apparently Obama wants those banks which receive public funding to increase their loans and credit approvals. Don't look now, but isn't this the same policy that led to the current economic downturn? I think Modern Man has lost his reason.
-Amator

Sure Feels Good

I am sure that Joe Biden appreciated his warm welcome at Holy Trinity Parish in Georgetown. When you get a standing ovation (according to the news report from the AP, at TheMorningCall.com) during Mass, you are special. To be singled out in the presence of Our Lord, and to be the object of attention, this indeed must be gratifying. But this is not especially surprising, since Holy Trinity is administered by Jesuits, that order now dedicated to spreading love and error. To be serious, this is an outrage! Applause during Mass--Mass, not "Catholic church service"--is downright disrespectful to the Real Presence. I would call it sacrilege, the profanation of something holy or sacred, for what is there that is holier or more sacred than Our Lord? Why and how can we justify anything detracting from attention to that which is most dear to us? Even when done after Mass or before Mass, applause destroys the sacred silence of the Holy of Holies. But in the middle of Mass, or whenever it was done, there is a further reason for outrage. For this is Biden, one of the most pro-abortion Catholics in the United States. Those parishoners applauded someone in favor of fifty million deaths. But for everyone there, it sure felt good . . . .

-Amator

The Virgin Mary

Today at Holy Mass, the Celebrant gave a homily on the Gospel for the Second Sunday after Epiphany (which was the pericope relating the miracle at the Wedding Feast at Cana. He reminded us that it was Mary who saw the need and asked her Son to alleviate that need; she does precisely this with all of us, each with our own needs. I suppose some mother's might be shy about asking for a miracle to address a seemingly minor need, but not Our Lady. Because she and her Son saw fit to maintain the observance of the cerremonies without interruption, this can be taken as a sign of Divine approbation for the wedded state. Holy Mary, Refuge of Sinners, Pray for us!

-Amator

"I came to cast fire upon this earth."

When we consider the mystery of Christmas presented to us by Holy Mother Church at this time of year, these words of Scripture jump out at me: "I came to cast fire upon this earth, and would that it were already kindled!" These words remind me of two particular things in relation to the coming of the Messiah.
In the words following the rest of this quote from Luke (12:49), Christ tells us that division and difficulty will be effects of His Evangelion, of His "Good News." The Son of God most certainly retains the title "Prince of Peace," but He did not come to give peace to men, but "pax hominibus bonae voluntatis," peace to men of good will. Christ's coming brings peace to men of good will, but not to all men. Hence the subsequent verses from Luke, describing strife and division. Those not properly disposed, who have not made the rough ways of their souls smooth; these will hate and revile true followers of the Newborn Babe. Even within our own being, we will war with ourself, for the rough ways of our fallen nature are not easily subdued and made welcoming to Our Redeemer.
If we can but overcome the struggle within ourselves, and reject the clamor and strife that assails us from without, then suddenly our hearts may be opened up as a fire of charity, burning with a renewed love of the Saviour of mankind. This is why Christ says, "And would that it were already kindled!" He came to encourage us to give us the burning heart that ever strains to be united with Him Who made all things. Ultimately, Christ as the Word of God and Creator of the World has made all things to rest in Himself, the "Burning Furnace of Charity," and this is why He came into the world. May we feel the heat of His everlasting love, and responding, be as sparks igniting this world with the love of the Most Sublime Trinity.

Christus natus est pro nobis! Glorificate Eum!

-Amator

What I am doing now.... (or What am I doing now?)

This week is midterm week. I believe that may be enough to indicate the cause of my hiatus. Christmas break will provide another hiatus, since we have virtually no internet at home, and then I have two weddings directly after Christmas.
-Amator

Teaching

Another week of teaching has ended. Now begins the wonderful part of the teacher's life known as correcting. As a teacher at a small, private Catholic school, I have to work with over seventy different students. Perhaps the difference in intellects and personalities keeps things interesting, but it also keeps things busy, to say the least. The rewarding part of teaching tends to be the process of "the light going off" in the minds of the students. Seeing them respond to my work, and seeing them grow as a result; this makes any amount of homework grading a more bearable thing. On the other hand, watching some student sit in his place as if he were a cow (some have even less reaction than a cow would), proves infuriating and makes one want to tear hair and abandon the pedagogical profession. Thanks be to God, I am fortunate enough to have students that engage the material, asking many questions ( some better than others). Now, onto a weekend of grading and trying to live a semi-normal life. . .

-Amator

Self-deception

I stumbled across this on another blog today (click on the title of this blog to access it). What immediately struck me was how true Chesterton was. But this euphemism does not hold true only to eugenicists, but to mankind in general. I myself "relax" by surfing the internet or watching a movie. What I am really doing is wasting time or procrastinating. Man seeks to excuse his actions by calling them something other than what they are. Ultimately, he ends up dreaming up a reality that fits the new names of his actions, and makes that his reality. Manichaeists, Protestants, existentialists: they all have done this. Let us be true to ourselves, not deceiving ourselves with new names or alternate realities. We only fool ourselves, while denying our nature. As the new liturgical year begins tonight, let us resolve to be honest, with the courage to live the truth, and the greatness of soul to want to live that truth.

-Amator

Blog personality--for what it's worth

The analysis indicates that the author of http://amatorrerumcatholicarum.blogspot.com/ is of the type:

INTP - The Thinkers

The logical and analytical type. They are especialy attuned to difficult creative and intellectual challenges and always look for something more complex to dig into. They are great at finding subtle connections between things and imagine far-reaching implications.

They enjoy working with complex things using a lot of concepts and imaginative models of reality. Since they are not very good at seeing and understanding the needs of other people, they might come across as arrogant, impatient and insensitive to people that need some time to understand what they are talking about.

Return from hiatus

It has been over two months since my last post. Several factors have gone into this lapse, none of which were intended. Teaching, which I began in September, has proved a full-time job and more. In addition sickness kept me out of circulation for over a month. Be that as it may, I hope to resume some posting here. I had a conversation with my friend over at thebarrelphilosopher.blogspot.com, and he said I should get back into posting. So, here I am, preparing to write. I still have an unending list of possible posts, so something interesting may come up.

-Amator

Requiem aeternam dona eis domine.

Today I attended the funeral mass for Mr. Thomas Vander Woude. To tell the truth, although the liturgy was not in any way memorable, the circumstances of the liturgy were truly amazing. Mr. Vander Woude, as many may already know, died while saving his twenty year-old son with Downs Syndrome. Josie Vander Woude had been helping his father with yard-wrok, and fell through the cover of a septic tank. Mr. Vander Woude saw what had happened, and ran over to help his son. He jumped into the septic tank through a two-foot square hole, and manuevered around his son, eventually forcing his head above the contents of the tank. Unfortunately, it took over fifteen minutes for emergency vehicles to arrive. When they arrived, removed both Vander Woude's from the tank, and shipped them to the hospital, Mr. Vander Woude no longer breathed, having drowned while saving his son's life. The action alone was a wonderful act of love and sacrifice. But what stood out most about Mr. Vander Woude's action, was that it was normal to him. His entire life had been a life of self-gift to others. He raised seven sons, one to the priesthood; five others to the married vocation. He worked ceaselessly for his family, his community, and his church. Whenever one bumped into him, he was serving others. He volunteered as coach for the local high-school for years; with his own hands, he laid the floor for the gym. Actions such as these were a way of life for Mr. Vander Woude. Today, at the funeral mass, the fruits of Mr. Vander Woude's life were made clear. Well over one thousand-seven hundred people showed up to honor Mr. Vander Woude. Over seventy priests and the bishop of the diocese also came to honor him. Mr. Vander Woude's own son said the mass and gave the homily. He made clear that sacrifice was the way of life for his father, very much in the manner of St. Joseph, always giving himself, never drawing attention to that gift. He was, by all accounts a true man, one who lived entirely for others. Mr. Vander Woude is survived by seven sons, his wife, twenty-four grandchildren, and countless individuals touched by his quiet life of heroic self-gift. Here, then was a real man, a real Catholic. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

The World is Turned Upside Down......

Well, it has been a very long time since I have posted. I hope to get back to doing it more regularly, now that regular employment is recommencing. Upcoming posts will include commentary on Mr. Berlinski's book The Devil's Delusion: Atheism and its Scientific Pretensions, a discussion of a discussion that took place on a plane with a lapsed Catholic, and a few last thoughts on peace and monasticism. Stay tuned!